


Adrift

by NairobiWonders



Category: The Flying Nun (TV)
Genre: F/M, Friendship, Hurt/Comfort, Romance, Some Humor, alejandro rey, deserted island, roles played by, sally field, yes that's right romance
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-04-10
Updated: 2016-04-28
Packaged: 2018-06-01 09:44:25
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 1,746
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6513178
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/NairobiWonders/pseuds/NairobiWonders
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Okay - do not judge me - but Sister Bertrille and Carlos in The Flying Nun was one of my original ships. My only excuse is I was very young and well, the pairing has stayed with me.  I doubt anyone remembers much about this show - I don't think it's syndicated anymore - so I'm writing this for myself and hopefully one or two of you out there who might enjoy it. </p><p>For the record, Sister Bertrille, the flying nun, was a novice. She'd not taken her final vows and she could certainly have a change of heart about taking those vows. She was a young nun whose head gear allowed her to fly and Carlos was the local casino owner & a playboy with the heart of gold whose life she made miserable. </p><p>This is the old stranded alone on a deserted isle trope - something they did do on the show but which I've taken a step or two further - nothing explicit 'cause I don't want to go to hell - not for this anyway;) there will be several chapters ... And a penguin</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

Unpredicted, the tropical storm blew across San Tanco and extended itself outwards to the sea. Gale force winds and pelting rain sent the small town's populace and it's visitors scurrying for shelter. Ships were called back into harbor and the few small planes at the airport were lashed down for protection.

Carlos Ramirez sat in his darkened office, shuffling a deck of cards and watching the rain pound at his window. His casino was full of tourists who came in seeking refuge from the storm and were currently whiling away the hours drinking and gambling.

This unexpected bounty did not make Carlos happy. He was still fuming. 

The nerve she had, to once again, barge in, as if she had every right in the world to ask him for help with yet another crazy plan and then expect him to just drop everything and do as she asked. 

The cards in his hands slammed into one another at a steadily angrier rate. 

He had not been put on this earth to help nuns and small children and ... and now animals! Sister Bertrille had almost convinced him ... no, no... not convinced - bullied him - into dropping everything, including his date with Lola, and fly off to save some wayward penguin. A penguin of all things! The bird was lost in the warm Caribbean waters and according to the small nun, in grave danger. 

There she had stood, in front of his staff, trying to pressure him into helping her! The smirks on his workers' faces as she spoke was the last straw. Carlos lost his temper, told her he had had enough of her and her requests. He demanded she leave the casino immediately; she was no longer welcome. Enough! The nun had pushed the boundaries of their so called friendship to the breaking point and he would have no more of it. 

And to top off the afternoon, he ended up canceling his date with the supermodel - not because of Sister Bertrille, no! She did not exert that kind of influence over him. He canceled because he ... he .... well, he just did not feel his most charming at the moment.... Aye! That nun would be the death of him. 

He sat in the cloud-dimmed office, calming himself and now wondered if perhaps he'd gone too far. That look on her face ... She'd look so young and almost heartbroken at his words. Her eyes while he was yelling at her came back to him, he could see her confusion ... the hurt .... 

The sudden ring of the phone startled him back into the present. "Yes!" He answered rather loudly, angry at the interruption. 

"Señor Ramirez? This is Reverend Mother. Forgive my disturbing you but is Sister Bertrille with you by any chance?"

He sat up and assumed a more polite tone. "No, Reverend Mother. She left a here an hour or two ago."

"Oh dear. You were our last hope. She was not here for midday mass nor for her class, and well, I fear with the storm and all ... She is rather small and the winds ...." The concern in the older woman's voice frightened Carlos. The Reverend Mother was not one given to needless worry.

A wave of anxiety washed over Carlos as he realized what had surely happened. He controlled his voice, keeping it soft and calm so as not to upset Reverend Mother, "I think I know where Sister Bertrille might have gotten off to."


	2. Chapter 2

The wind and rained appeared out of nowhere, tossed her about and tore the cornette right off her head before plunging her into the ocean. Luckily, she'd been flying low, on the look-out for her small tuxedoed friend, and the drop caused minimal damage. Years of surfing had taught her the skills necessary to survive in this situation. Of course those skills would work better if she were wearing a bikini and not a multi-layered, heavy cotton habit. 

The rain eased up a bit but the sea was still choppy and she alternated between treading water and floating on her back, all the while berating herself. 

... Flying off in search of a stray penguin! What a stupid thing to do! Reverend Mother would be livid! She could hear her lecture on pride and willfulness ... And Carlos? Carlos would probably just go on about how he had known her plan would end in disaster and how silly she had been ... who was she kidding? Carlos wouldn't say a word. He was never speaking to her again. .... That was good in a way. She wouldn't have to listen to his ranting....

A sadness fell over her as she thought about him. He sent her away. He had been so mad at her. The memory hurt. Carlos was probably going to be thrilled to hear she was lost at sea. .... 

She didn't understand why she acted like she did around him. In her heart of hearts, she thought of him as her best friend, an equal, in ways none of the other sisters or townsfolk could ever be. Boy, would he be appalled if he ever found out. To Carlos, apparently, she was nothing but a huge pain ...

That was neither here nor there she thought. Sister Bertrille bobbed and tried to figure out what to do next. Prayer would only take her so far. She needed rescuing. Finding a nun in the ocean was no small task, especially if no one was looking.


	3. Chapter 3

The authorities had refused to listen to him. They would not go out looking for Sister Bertrille until the storm subsided and they refused to give him permission to do so. Carlos was a man of money with influence and charm and he used all of it to skirt around the official refusal. His sea plane had been airborne within the half hour.

The storm still raged outside the cockpit. The winds buffeted and the small craft shook, but Carlos kept it under control. He would not let her down again. His sole concern was to find her, find her alive and ask for forgiveness. He had this airplane; poor Sister Bertrille had nothing to protect her. He shook his head in frustration trying to push away the horrible images of the small nun in all sorts of peril. This was all his fault. If he had agreed to help her in the first place, she'd be safe or at least she'd be in the plane with him.

During their argument, Sister Bertrille told him more or less where she wanted to go, a small island that the confused little penguin chose as her new nesting grounds. And that's where his airplane was pointed. 

 

:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:

The clouds lifted long enough for Sister Bertrille to look around. She had spotted the island from the air but from this vantage point it was more difficult to pinpoint. She wiped the water from her face and tread water in a slow circle. A hazy green blob started to take shape in the distance. Well, whatever it was, it was better than where she was. Sister started swimming towards it. She'd always been a strong swimmer but this would put her stamina to the test. 

:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:

His heart leapt and then plummeted to the pit of his stomach. He spotted what appeared to be a bunch of white rags on the island's shore. Carlos circled the plane around and went lower for a closer look. It was her. 

"Please let her be alive, please let her be alive ... " He repeated the phrase over and over, trying to keep himself calm as he maneuvered the aircraft down for a sea landing as close to the island as he could manage.

The storm was picking up again, dark clouds grew ominously overhead and the plane rocked atop the turbulent ocean water. Carlos paid it all no mind and jumped in. He started swimming with all the strength he had all the while praying that she was alright. With each stroke, he made all sorts of promises to God if he would just grant him this one prayer.

He reached the shore and scrambled over to where the crumpled body of the small nun lay. Carlos fell on his knees and for a split second was afraid to touch her. Until he confirmed otherwise, she was alive ... Her chest softly rose and sunk in slow breathes. 

"Sister Bertrille!" He yelled and grabbed at her arms. 

She grimaced and opened her eyes, trying to focus, trying to figure out where she was, what happened ...

"Sister ..." His voice, a whisper, carrying a tremble of fear, focused her attention on his face.

It all drifted back to her, memory emerged from the fog ...

"Carlos? ... " she spoke more to herself than him. "Carlos!" Her voice came strong and excited as she realized he was no memory. Sister Bertrille sat up and lunged at him, her arms flung around his neck. "You came! You came looking for me!"

He returned her embrace, squeezing her tight to him, "Thank god, you're alright." His hand came up to the back of her head and held her closer. Her face buried in the crook of his neck, they rocked in happy unison.

"I was terrified you were hurt or worse ..." He mumbled into the top of her head. "I'm so sorry, Sister. This is all my fault ... I should have..."

She interrupted him, "No, no. It's not your fault. It's me. I get something stuck in my head ..." She snuggled closer into his neck. "I'm sorry. I'm sorry." He felt her lips, a wisp of a kiss below his ear, "Forgive me..."

Without thought, he gave a small kiss to the side of her head and pressed his face closer into her wet hair. "I'm sorry ..." he repeated.

She pulled her head back and looked into his dark eyes, "I thought I'd never see you again." Tears began to trickle, "I thought you hated me and ... and ..." She took a big gulp of air. 

He cupped her face and wiped the tears with his thumb. Carlos, himself moved to tears, kissed her forehead, "I could never hate you ..." His lips lingered, "I could never ... Ever." 

Her fingertips caressed his cheek, and she slowly lifted her face away and looked at him with a gentle tenderness, "Oh, Carlos ..."

The crackling flash of light and the boom of thunder jarred them from each other. They looked up just in time to see the airplane explode and burst into flames.


End file.
